Hello Everyone,
I just wrote my citizenship test this morning at my local Winnipeg Office after more than 2 years of waiting since I applied for my citizenship back in Feb 2011.
In general, I thought the interview went well, I did well on the test and was happy leaving the local office until I came back home and started reading about people receiving RQs after the citizenship test! I didn't think this was possible?!?
I am panicking thinking that I might receive an RQ in the next few months and have to undergo another 2-4 years of waiting! I have been here since 2005, only travelld twice to the US for 3-4 days each time (back in 2007), never been out of Canada since then. I studied here, been fully employed in professional jobs for the past 4 years, bought a house here (something I made sure to point out to the officer). I thought the interview went very well, it was casual, relaxed and friendly until I started thinking back about it once I came back home. Here are some of my concerns:
1- As the officer was checking my documents, I made sure to confirm that I haven't been out of Canada since 2007. I expected her to check my new passport (issued in 2009 - all blank pages since no travels were made) but she focused instead on the old one, checking every page of it (I travelled a lot prior to 2005 to a number of countries!).
2- Prior to coming to Canada, I lived in the UAE for a couple of years with my family who was there at the time (I was born and lived there for a portion of my life but am no citizen). The officer asked me whether I still had family there, to which I said no. Didn't think much about the question until I came back home and started reading about "ex-Gulfies" being primary targets of RQs!!!
3- She asked how my experience was getting a US visa, given how difficult it is to get one. I explained how it wasn't difficult back in 2007 when I applied for it, but that I did apply for it once more in 2011 and never got it because of background checks taking forever, leading me to cancel my application. I explained how I was looking for jobs in my field at that time (I am an academic) and I had applied for a few in the US, so wanted to have the visa in case I got an interview there. Thinking about this now, I am thinking I might have raised suspicions about my intentions once I get the citizenship, something I obviously didn't mean to as I would never willingly chose to move to the US unless I am in a position where I need to find a job and can't find one in my specific field in Canada! I keep thinking I should have kept my mouth shut and not mention anything about the US, yet at the same time, I feel I was being honest and didn't feel like I had anything to hide or be concerned about!!!
4- at the end of the interview, she pointed and circled the local office address on the test notice, saying that this is the address I need to write to if I needed to get in touch with them or send them any additional documents! Didn't think much of it at the time, but now I am worried it could be an indication of an RQ coming my way!!!
I am disappointed, tired and exhausted! 8 years and still counting! Can't imagine having to collect more documents and waiting for a few more years!!! I have avoided travelling abroad intentionally for the last 4-5 years despite wanting to do so many times (taking vacations, going back to my homecountry to visit family, etc...). Sometimes, I feel I live in one big prison cell called Canada that I can't get out of for fear of slowing down my PR - Citizenship application processes. It sometimes can be VERY depressing!
Any thoughts about these points I have raised? Could an RQ be coming my way?!? Is the Winnipeg office known for giving post-test RQs? I wonder whether this is now becoming more common - it would make sense to mail RQs after the test instead of serving those during the test to avoid any drama/ confrontations that might take place right then?!?
Seldom
I just wrote my citizenship test this morning at my local Winnipeg Office after more than 2 years of waiting since I applied for my citizenship back in Feb 2011.
In general, I thought the interview went well, I did well on the test and was happy leaving the local office until I came back home and started reading about people receiving RQs after the citizenship test! I didn't think this was possible?!?
I am panicking thinking that I might receive an RQ in the next few months and have to undergo another 2-4 years of waiting! I have been here since 2005, only travelld twice to the US for 3-4 days each time (back in 2007), never been out of Canada since then. I studied here, been fully employed in professional jobs for the past 4 years, bought a house here (something I made sure to point out to the officer). I thought the interview went very well, it was casual, relaxed and friendly until I started thinking back about it once I came back home. Here are some of my concerns:
1- As the officer was checking my documents, I made sure to confirm that I haven't been out of Canada since 2007. I expected her to check my new passport (issued in 2009 - all blank pages since no travels were made) but she focused instead on the old one, checking every page of it (I travelled a lot prior to 2005 to a number of countries!).
2- Prior to coming to Canada, I lived in the UAE for a couple of years with my family who was there at the time (I was born and lived there for a portion of my life but am no citizen). The officer asked me whether I still had family there, to which I said no. Didn't think much about the question until I came back home and started reading about "ex-Gulfies" being primary targets of RQs!!!
3- She asked how my experience was getting a US visa, given how difficult it is to get one. I explained how it wasn't difficult back in 2007 when I applied for it, but that I did apply for it once more in 2011 and never got it because of background checks taking forever, leading me to cancel my application. I explained how I was looking for jobs in my field at that time (I am an academic) and I had applied for a few in the US, so wanted to have the visa in case I got an interview there. Thinking about this now, I am thinking I might have raised suspicions about my intentions once I get the citizenship, something I obviously didn't mean to as I would never willingly chose to move to the US unless I am in a position where I need to find a job and can't find one in my specific field in Canada! I keep thinking I should have kept my mouth shut and not mention anything about the US, yet at the same time, I feel I was being honest and didn't feel like I had anything to hide or be concerned about!!!
4- at the end of the interview, she pointed and circled the local office address on the test notice, saying that this is the address I need to write to if I needed to get in touch with them or send them any additional documents! Didn't think much of it at the time, but now I am worried it could be an indication of an RQ coming my way!!!
I am disappointed, tired and exhausted! 8 years and still counting! Can't imagine having to collect more documents and waiting for a few more years!!! I have avoided travelling abroad intentionally for the last 4-5 years despite wanting to do so many times (taking vacations, going back to my homecountry to visit family, etc...). Sometimes, I feel I live in one big prison cell called Canada that I can't get out of for fear of slowing down my PR - Citizenship application processes. It sometimes can be VERY depressing!
Any thoughts about these points I have raised? Could an RQ be coming my way?!? Is the Winnipeg office known for giving post-test RQs? I wonder whether this is now becoming more common - it would make sense to mail RQs after the test instead of serving those during the test to avoid any drama/ confrontations that might take place right then?!?
Seldom